Dharmapuri Narasimha swamy Temple History

The true Indian culture is in the villages. One must realize that it is not cities that make India, but the villages. With the influence of British, Villages have lost their life. Agriculture, Vocational skills have forever been neglected. There is no craftsmanship. No family education is continued. There are some exceptions where today such village culture is still surviving and our DHARMAPURI is one such exception.

DHARMAPURI welcomes us all with its holy and pleasant atmosphere. The air flows so afresh with the fragrances of trees and plants from near by mounts and hills and so cool with the freezes coming over the Godavari waters, and also warm with the love of people, specially the aged people who speak freely, lovingly and caringly. We see many old men and women who are so pure, affectionate, well educated in traditional studies, devoted to good and faithful to traditional and culture. This is the first specialty about this village. Of course it is this class of people who play a great role in protecting the purity and sanctity of the village.

Though DHARMAPURI today is not a village in the geographical sense, since many amenities available in a city are found there, the village purity and atmosphere is still retained with good effort of people. That much love the people there have for their village.

A Word about the name of the Village:

It is called so since a king called Dharmavarma ruled it. It is a punyakshetra because of its many great ancient temples. This place is with a great history and culture. Lord MARASIMHA along with the goddess laxmi is called as Yoga Narasimha, which is a rare darshana. And it is a punyatirtha because of its holy river Godavari.

It is believed that DHARMAPURI was a place of rich religion, philosophy and spirituality. Many saints, sages, yogis and wondering monks visited this place and also stayed in this place to continue their worship, falling in love with its sanctity.

DHARMAPURI kshetra mahatmyam a look on the details of Dharmapuri, contains many details about this place. It is said that the great sage gautama stayed here and did a lot of penance in its eastern region. He installed a shivalinga also there. And today it is called as Gautameshwaralayam. Lord Dattatreya himself constructed an ashrama here for the benefit of wandering monks. Dattatrey’s temple facing the east on the banks of Godavari, gives a beautiful picture of sunrise. The serene atmosphere helped many Vedic scholars stick to that place and spread Vedic dharma.

People of Dharmapuri are found of holy bath in the pure waters of Godavari. People in their eighties also immerse their bodies in its waters. The place reverberates with sound of Vedic mantra recitations. Nityapuja is done so systematically even in smallest temples and goddess with rich annadana to the needy. The stone benches are the platforms for the Vedic scholars to hold assemblies on the spiritual topics. Dharmapuri is known for many great pauranikas who give excellent pravachams. Even today purana pravachana is a routine there where many men and women of all ages participate. Many poets like Sri.RAYAMBHATLA and SESHAPPA have written kavyas and satakams.